28 Feb, 2016
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The French Connection
28 Feb, 2016
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For me being half French, Paris is like a second home. I’ve always felt very comfortable around that cafe society set up - where you hang out and dip your croissants in your cafe creme.
Eating and drinking is a very sociable experience in France and enormous pleasure is taken in good food - something I love.
I can’t really separate Paris from the rest of France though it is very very different. I love France as it appreciates the good things in life - great food, great wine, great conversation, great philosophy, great art, great fashion. So much!
Sometimes it can be a little too perfect and everyone ends up looking similar, you don’t have the eclectic thing you have in London. But what I love is people really know how to make the best of themselves and they do. If a shape or colour doesn’t suit them, they just won’t wear it, even if it is the height of fashion. I hate to say it but they just have the knack. I’m constantly amazed.
With the French side of my family, we are so open- so quick to express emotion and feeling it is so different from the English - and what I love is actually sitting down and discussing a dish you have eaten and exchanging recipes - something I rarely do in the UK! There is a passion to French life which sometimes lacks for me in the UK. Emotion just runs in the blood of the French!
I recently had a girls trip with my daughter and her best friend and it made me realise that there are so many secret tips to having a wonderful time in Paris. So I thought I would let you all into my secret Paris.
1. Stock shops for Maje and Les Petits - real bargains as long as they have your size!!
4 rue de Marseille
75010 Paris
2) Merci - 111 Bld Beaumarchais 75003 Paris - not so secret these days, Love the selection of jewellery and linens.
3) Bastille/Marais for shopping Rue des Francs Bourgeois 75004 Paris- especially the Ba&sh shop a personal favourite.

4) Musee Rodin -79 Rue de Varenne, 75007 such a beautiful, inspiring space without the queues

6) L’épicerie du Bon marche. 24 Rue de Sèvres, 75007 Paris. What can I say - I could spend all day there - pure heaven!

Oh I wish I was back there now.
Marielle x